Reel Critics

Take the odyssey with ‘O Brother’

“O Brother, Where Art Thou” is the latest film from Joel and Ethan

Coen of “Fargo” and “Barton Fink” fame. The brothers continue to be true

originals with this film, which is one of their best. They try to show

that there is more to film than cliches.

The story is a wonderful spin on Homer’s “The Odyssey,” and cribs

several characters and events from the ancient tale. If there were any

complaint about this film at all, it would be the (few) liberties it

takes with the poet’s tale. But it still makes for an epic tale with the

kind of loopiness that is missing from certain modern-day remakes of

classic stories.

The Coen brothers have outdone themselves. The dialogue is crisp and,

more often than not, hilarious. The character development is excellent.

There are some who will contend this movie is only for Coen brothers’

fans. I completely disagree. This film is completely accessible from many

angles.

This version of “Odyssey” requires no knowledge or recollection of

Homer’s tale, but the fun is multiplied if you are familiar with it.

The original “Odyssey” is a series of adventures undertaken by Ulysses

as he travels throughout the Mediterranean. This odyssey involves three

escaped convicts, led by Ulysses Everett McGill (George Clooney) as they

escape from prison and travel through Mississippi during the Great

Depression to try to obtain the buried treasure from a bank job.

What I appreciate most about Coen brothers’ films is that they are

Hollywood art. So while Hollywood films invariably go down the path of

cliche and formula, “O Brother” takes a different route with twists and

surprises. While art films invariably eschew plotting, the Coens insist

on a superb satisfying story.

“O Brother,” like their previous eight films, encapsulate all that’s

best about film writing: The dialogue is sharp and witty, and the visuals

are stunning and sublime. This film was shot with yellow filters and

bleaching, which encapsulates the heat and beauty of the South perfectly.

As per the Coens’ usual, the photography of the movie is stunning, with

Depression-era Mississippi as an excellent backdrop.

By necessity, the music has to be of the period. As such, the

bluegrass music chosen for the film is worth getting the soundtrack for.

It was produced by T Bone Burnett, one of the great living bluegrass

artists. This soundtrack embodies America. It breathes life, via song,

into the pictures of soft green willow fronds waving over the gurgling

brooks of the Old South.

This is the South, replete with the incongruous beauty of the scenery

and the ugliness of the poverty and racial hatred that shows up

intermittently throughout the film.

I should mention the acting, which is superlative, especially Tim

Blake Nelson, who deserves a best supporting actor nomination.

Clooney gets the chance to prove his versatility, and hopefully his

presence will help make this movie a deserved breakout hit. The acting

was dead-on, the best performance given by Clooney ever, South Park

cameos notwithstanding.

Also, John Goodman’s swift change from friendly Bible salesman fit

perfectly with his character’s embodiment of pure evil. After all, how

effective would evil be if it couldn’t fool you? He had me fooled at

first.

What surprised me was how the Coens successfully incorporated

bluegrass music into the movie. I’m not a huge fan of musicals, and this

is very close to being one. But the music added greatly to my enjoyment

of the film.

The movie is very funny, almost a 1930s version of “Dumb and Dumber.”

But with the integration of very entertaining musical moments, it becomes

a great movie.

The Sirens were the high point for me. The often repeated “I Am A Man

of Constant Sorrow” was well done, and the song “Big Rock Candy Mountain”

was wonderful in its authentic sound.

This film is one of my favorites of the last several years.

o7 “O Brother, Where Art Thou” is rated PG-13 for some violence and

language.

f7

* MICHELLE HANCOCK, 27, lives in Newport Beach with her husband and

works for a Costa Mesa law firm.

‘Forrester’ finds way into reviewer’s heart

Thank you, Hollywood, for making “Finding Forrester,” a marvelous

picture about an interracial mentor-pupil connection.

As expected, Sean Connery delivers a remarkable performance as William

Forrester, a charismatic Pulitzer Prize-winning literary legend who has

become the proverbial recluse. Now a silver-haired eccentric, Forrester

spends much of his time in his Bronx set of rooms window-watching birds

and a group of black kids playing basketball on a nearby court.

The kids are curious about the watcher. As the days go on, that

curiosity builds until 16-year-old Jamal (Robert Brown), an intelligent

and talented teen, is dared by his friends to sneak into “The Windows” to

get the goods on him.

The bungling Jamal does so but leaves his backpack behind. The next

day it is hanging in Forrester’s window, and the following day it is

thrown down to Jamal. The teen is surprised when he finds that all of his

papers have been looked over and graded by the mysterious man.

An unlikely mentor-apprentice relationship begins between the two. As

friendships go, it has its ups and downs.

A fancy prep school in Manhattan gives Jamal a scholarship based on

some test grades, but the “rich white people” really only want Jamal for

its faltering basketball team. A romance blossoms between Jamal and

Claire (Anna Paquin), the daughter of a member of the prep school’s

board, but it never comes to fruition. Maybe the interracial romance was

too life-size for the big screen to handle.

Jamal discovers life-changing lessons from Forrester and, remarkably,

reignites the passion for writing that Forrester lost.

Brown plays opposite Connery as a true equal. Trivia: Did you know

that Brown was to be an extra on the film? As fate would have it, Connery

recognized his talent, and he got the lead. An outstanding choice.

The film’s flaws are minimal: We never actually know the content of

Jamal’s writings, the film is a bit too long, and there is a single,

perplexing act of classless casting -- Joey Buttafuoco’s cameo as a

security guard in the ballpark. That last part sure took some of the

wallop out of the film!

Find “Forrester” at your local theater. It’s worth full price.

o7 “Finding Forrester” is rated PG-13 for brief strong language and

some sexual references.f7

* GAY WASSALL-KELLY, 60, is the editor of a Balboa newspaper and is

active in the community. BILL KELLY, 59, is an industrial engineer.